The Golden rule

Xue Sheng

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I have been on a bit of a philosophical bent lately and this post got me thinking about other religions and cultures idea of the golden rule and it appears that there are a lot of ways to say pretty much the same thing... Strange that many don't seem to listen

African Traditional Religions

"One going to take a pointed stick to pinch a baby bird should first try it on himself to feel how it hurts."

Baha'i Faith

Ascribe not to any soul that which thou wouldst not have ascribed to thee, and say not that which thou doest not." Baha'u'llah

Blessed is he who preferreth his brother before himself

Buddhism

Hurt not others in ways that you yourself would find hurtful.

Comparing oneself to others in such terms as "Just as I am so are they, just as they are so am I," he should neither kill nor cause others to kill."

One should seek for others the happiness one desires for himself"
--- Buddha (Siddhartha Gautama, c. 563 - c. 483 B.C.)

"Never do to other persons what would pain thyself."

If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion. --- Dalai Lama

Christianity

All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye so to them; for this is the law and the prophets."

You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

Do unto others as you would have others do unto you

Confucianism

Do not do to others what you would not like yourself. Then there will be no resentment against you, either in the family or in the state.

Try your best to treat others as you would wish to be treated yourself, and you will find that this is the shortest way to benevolence."
---Mencius

"Tsekung asked, "Is there one word that can serve as a principle of conduct for life?" Confucius replied, "It is the word shu--reciprocity: Do not do to others what you do not want them to do to you.""

What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others

Hinduism

Ahimsa - cause no harm to sentient beings

This is the sum of duty; do naught onto others what you would not have them do unto you.

One should not behave towards others in a way which is disagreeable to oneself. This is the essence of morality. All other activities are due to selfish desire.

Islam

No one of you is a believer until he desires for his brother that which he desires for himself.

In his Last Sermon, the Prophet Muhammad admonished believers:
"Hurt no one so that no one may hurt you."

Jainism

In happiness and suffering, in joy and grief, we should regard all creatures as we regard our own self.

A man should wander about treating all creatures as he himself would be treated.

One should treat all beings as he himself would be treated.

Judaism

What is hateful to you, do not do to your fellowman. This is the entire Law; all the rest is commentary.

Sikhism

As thou deemest thyself, so deem others.

Precious like jewels are the minds of all. To hurt them is not at all good. If thou desierest thy Beloved, then, hurt thou not any one's heart

Taoism

Regard your neighbor’s gain as your gain, and your neighbor’s loss as your own loss.

The sage has no interest of his own, but takes the interests of the people as his own. He is kind to the kind; he is also kind to the unkind: for Virtue is kind. He is faithful to the faithful; he is also faithful to the unfaithful: for Virtue is faithful

Zoroastrianism

That nature alone is good which refrains from doing another whatsoever is not good for itself.

Whatever is disagreeable to yourself do not do unto others.

Other

Socrates 436-338 BCE - Do not do unto others what angers you if done to you by others.

Aristotle (384-322 B.C.) - We should behave toward friends as we would wish friends to behave toward us.

Hippocrates (born around the year 460 BC )– Make a habit of two things; to help or at least do no harm

Egyptian Book of the Dead (1580-1350 B.C.) - He sought for others the good he desired for himself. Let him pass.

Shawnees Indians - Do not kill or injure your neighbor, for it is not him that you injure, you injure yourself. But do good to him, therefore add to his days of happiness as you add to your own. Do not wrong or hate your neighbor, for it is not him that you wrong, you wrong yourself. But love him, for Moneto loves him also as he loves you."
 

punisher73

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It's amazing that all spiritual leaders have come to some of the same conclusions. It's a shame when messages get twisted for one's own agenda.

I remember reading a story about Ghandi and he was asked about Christianity. His reply was something along the lines that if it weren't for the Christians he would be one. No matter what your belief, if you main focus isn't loving others and wanting to make things better you have missed the boat somehow.
 

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